


Spaces Between Us

by icarustark



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, F/F, First Kiss, Friends to Enemies to Lovers, Getting Back Together, Getting Together, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, M/M, Mutual Pining, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, leave me alone, no beta we die like women, not stuckony, tags are hard ok
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-04
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-11-09 08:57:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17998814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icarustark/pseuds/icarustark
Summary: "What did Coulson want?""He wants me to tutor Barnes.""Barnes, as in you ex-best friend, the one you were in love with who broke you heart Barnes?""Yep""What did you say?""I need the extra credit, Platypus.""God, you're fucked""Trust me, I know."ORThe one where the teachers at SHIELD High conspire to bring Steve, Tony and Bucky back together





	1. Chapter One

''Watch where you're going, Stark.'' a gruff but very familiar voice reprimanded as Tony's textbooks fell to the ground. Tony looked up to stare into the blue-gray eyes of one Bucky Barnes and hated how they still didn't fail to make his heart perform a fucking cartwheel.

 Tony wordlessly bent down to pick up his books, a stark contrast to what he would've done a year ago, when he would've responded with a sarcastic quip with Bucky replying in kind, which in turn would've set forth one of their infamous bantering sessions.

As Bucky turned the corner and disappeared from the view, Tony stood up and put his back to the lockers, taking a deep breathe to stop the suppressed memories from coming worth, as always, he failed.

_Steve, Bucky and Tony had been best friends ever since Steve and Bucky had rescued Tony from a couple of bullies in their all of their superhero vigilante glory. Tony had tried to repay them but he was quickly rebuffed. After that day, Tony had gained his first two real friends and Steve and Bucky added another member to their close knit friendship._

_They were never seen apart, where it was at school or after, Mrs. 'call me Winnie'  Barnes practically raised all three of them with Tony's own parents being mostly absent and borderline abusive and Steve's mom who had to work two jobs just to make ends wait._

_Bucky and Tony had an especially close friendship, both of them flirted as they breathed and threw innuendos at each other like a damn ping pong ball._ _Teasing each other at every_ _opportunity but on the other hand they also cared deeply, whether it was calling each other in the middle of the night to have whispered conversations about nothing in particular, or being the first one to defend the other against anyone who dare speak against them, in Tony's eyes their relationship was everything he wanted from a friendship. He'd be lying if he said he didn't have a little crush on Bucky, okay a big crush okay maybe he was in love with him but just a little bit. Right?_

_Then, one day it stopped, everything stopped. Bucky stopped coming to pick him up before school, he ran the other way whenever Tony spotted him in the hallways, refused to reply to his calls and texts and in the process completely breaking his heart. Steve tried his hardest to make them sort their shit out but Bucky always had an excuse at hand. Slowly but surely, Steve drifted away too, that was to be expected of course Bucky and Steve had been born attached to their hips. Tony was a fool to think he had a place in that friendship. As resignation set it, he stopped trying and wondered how is it that he managed to fuck up the best thing in his life._

Sighing at his own pathetic- ness, Tony walked to the corner of the cafeteria, where the lights of his life were seated, after the mess that was last year, the people who had basically adopted him as their own son.

"Honey bear, Miss Potts", he gave them both a grin as he settled down beside them. Rhodey grunted in reply too fixated on his sandwich high order functions while Pepper responded with a small smile of her own and a 'Mr. Stark'

"Dude, you should've seen what DUM-E did yesterday-"

he was interrupted by a scrawny little freshman, Peter Parker, who Tony had taken under his wing and insisted on mentoring, because why not?

"Hey, uh Tony, Mr. Coulson asked me to tell you to visit him in his office, he wanted to talk to you"

Tony let out a groan as his head fell on the table with a thud. He was really not looking forward to being lectured on whatever he did now to piss Mr. Agent off.

"What did I ever do deserve this?"

"Have fun with your favorite teacher, darling" Rhodey smirked and Tony flipped him off already getting up to inquire what Mr. Agent wanted.

* * *

 

"So, how may I help you, Mr. Agent?"

"Stark, how many times have I told you, I am not part of super secret spy organization."

"That is exactly what a super secret spy would say"

Mr. Agent rubbed his temples as if debating why he had chosen to become a teacher. "Just sit down, Stark"

That's when Tony noticed the other occupant of the room, he thought if it was acceptable to just throw himself out of the window. Life hated him him, obviously, the feeling was mutual. There sat in all his handsome glory, the star of both Tony's nightmares and sweetest dreams, Bucky Barnes. Before Tony could open his mouth to say something, anything, Mr. Agent interrupted him, _what is with_   _and interrupting me today?_

"Mr. Barnes here is failing physics, I need you to tutor him so that he can take part in the football league"

Tony felt himself immediately stiffen, refusing to look at the aforementioned boy, he managed to stutter out, "But-but why me?"

"As much as I hate to admit it, you are a genius, and you tutor students frequently, you'd perfect to help him pass" Bucky during all of this completely silent.

"Brucie bear is a genius too!"  He was almost tearing out his hair now.

"Biology's more of his area of expertise, besides I remember you mentioning you need the extra credit" Damn he was right of course, he needed the credit if he wanted to graduate early and get out of his hell hole of his house.

Wordlessly, he nodded staring at his hands and still refusing to meet Bucky's eyes.

"Perfect, I expect better results at the end of the month." The last part was directed to Bucky, who nodded in affirmative as Mr. Agent left the room leaving them alone Tony finally looked at Bucky's carefully blank face, Tony had been effortlessly able to read all of Bucky's expressions, he knew the blank face meant that Bucky was as nervous as Tony.

"So, I'm gonna be tutoring you huh?" He tried to sound as nonchalant as possible but failed by a mile.

"Yeah, sorry about that, I tried to convince him otherwise but he wouldn't listen." Wow, ok that stung a lot more that it should be allowed to, Tony almost scowled but schooled his expressions at the last minute. 

"You can drop by my house around 5 today" Tony said jumping straight to the point "I'll give you my address wait" he continued as he looked for a piece of paper to write his address on. 

"There's no need of that, I uh I remember."

Tony gulped as his heart started beating wildly again, of course he remembered, he spent around 4 years there after all but still even the brief mention of their 'situation' had the power to completely wreck Tony.

 And then, like the coward he is, plastering on a fake smile he fleed from the room like his pants were on fire. Rhodey, bless his heart, was waiting for him outside the room.

"Hey, hey slow down. What did Coulson want?"

"He wants me to tutor Barnes." Tony said with a sigh not quite believing that this was his life yet.

"Barnes, as in you ex-best friend, the one you were in love with who broke you heart Barnes?" Rhodey's eyes widened comically after every word.

"Yep"

"What did you say?"

"I need the extra credit, Platypus." He whined.

"God, you're fucked"

"Trust me, I know."

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im so sorry for the late update but my mental health has been shit lately so that's fun. also thank you so nuchfor the comments mg y'all are the sweetest <3

5 pm saw Tony pacing nervously in his room wondering if it was too late to cancel on Bucky and leave the country and change his name. He figured it was too late to do that when he heard the doorbell ringing and Jarvis answering it. 

Swallowing around the lump in his throat, he opened the door to his bedroom to see Bucky in his characteristic black leather jacket and jeans and his hand raised as if he was going to knock. 

 "Uh, hi" Tony managed to choke out, fiddling with his hands.

"Hey" Bucky seemed almost as nervous, if not more, than him, which gave an odd sense of relief to Tony. 

"Come on, and let's get started yeah?" Tony gestured to Bucky and moved to close the door behind him.

Tony opened his mouth to say something, anything when he was cut off "I was thinking we could start with electromagnetism that shit totally goes over my head."  It was clear Bucky was trying to lessen the tension in the air, and Tony was kinda pissed, he didn't know what he expected, For Bucky to grovel for his forgiveness or for him to finally answer the question that has been troubling Tony for a year now. He let it slide, and nodded in affirmation. 

He fetched his textbook  and without saying another word, launched into explanation, losing himself in his favorite subject and trying to explain everything to Bucky in a way in which he would understand, relating physics to football and various other sports. Judging by the expression on Bucky's face he knew exactly what Tony was doing.

Tony was a wonderful teacher, he paused in between asking confirmations about if Bucky understood the topic or not willing to repeat himself a hundred times if Bucky didn't. 

 Tony looked up from his rambling to find Bucky not looking at the book, but staring at him. Bucky cleared his throat with a cough and looked away while Tony tried to figure out what that meant. He glanced at the clock to realize that it was already six thirty. Had he really rambled on about physics for an hour and a half? God, he was such a nerd no wonder Bucky was distracted and not focused.

"Oops, sorry I didn't realize I have been speaking for like an hour and a half. I think that's enough for today, huh?"

"It's fine I'm finally able to understand it, so that's good yeah."

"Glad to help, same time tomorrow?"

"Yeah and Tony?" Bucky said already moving towards the door, Tony made a humming noise in answer when Bucky continued "Thank you" He said with such sincerity that it made Tony's stomach churn. Bucky was out the door before Tony could reply.

* * *

 

 The next morning, Tony walked towards his locker to find Pepper already leaning on it clearly waiting for Tony.

"Hey, Pep how are you this fine evening?" 

"When were you going to tell me you're tutoring Bucky Barnes?"

"Straight to the point I see, who knew Rhodey was such a snitch?" when all he received in reply was an unimpressed glare, he sighed and said, "Uh.. right now?"

"Tony, you can't do this to yourself, Barnes has hurt you once, what's to say he wouldn't do it again?"

"He can't hurt me when I don't care about him. All our encounters are strictly professional."

"That's a huge lie and you know it." Pepper oh so wisely pointed out.

"How dare you accuse me of lying, I thought you were my friend, Pep how could you?" Tony clutched his heart dramatically but immediately sobered up when he noticed just how concerned and worried Pepper was.

"It's fine, you know I don't blame him for whatever happened, he must've found out that I loved him and decided to let me down easy."

"That's letting you down easy?" Pepper asked incredulously "Besides, you knew when I had feelings for you, I don't see you ignoring me for a year." 

"That's different" Tony mumbled.

"How is it why different can you specify?"

"Oh hey, would you look at that, your girlfriend is here" Tony waved at Natasha trying desperately to change the subject it seemed to have worked "Hi Natasha, your girlfriend is bullying me please help."

She just smirked in reply and said "If Pepper's bullying you I'm pretty sure you deserve it then" 

Tony squawked on protest and mumbled something about how he deserved better friends just as the bell rang.

Pepper laughed and pressed a kiss on Tony's cheek "Go on now, get to class or you'll be late as always" 

"It's art ugh who cares about fucking art except Miss Hill, I'd rather take a nap" Pepper and Natasha both just smiled at his misery and mumbled their goodbyes to each other while Tony sighed and started towards the Art classroom praying to god he didn't have another surprise waiting for him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not beta read point out any mistakes you notice. Once again, thanks for all the comments and validation I received for the first chapter. find me on tumbr : lwtwinterion

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are so appreciated man ill legit cry if i receive one comment. pls give me validation.  
> also im indian and i have zero knowledge of the american high school system and im just kinda winging it tbh


End file.
